This cake is a recent favorite from one of my favorite pastry chefs and cookbook authors, David Lebovitz. We once had the chance to meet him in Napa, where he taught a Valentine’s Day class featuring his amazing brownies. Now living in Paris, he continues to share foolproof recipes with a French flair — perfect for baking in the U.S. too. This simple summer cake, packed with apricots, plums, or any ripe fruit you like, is tender and buttery, with a nice crunchy top. It’s easy to make, beautifully rustic, and tastes like a little slice of summer.
Ingredients:
- 1½ pounds (680 g) apricots, plums, or other summer fruit
- 1 cup (110 g) almond flour
- ½ cup (65 g) all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (230 g) sugar
- 10 tablespoons (140 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or ½ teaspoon almond extract)
- 1½ tablespoons brown sugar
Instructions:
Halve and pit the fruit, then slice into wedges about 1–1¼ inches wide. Peel the peaches if desired. Set the fruit aside.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter a springform pan or small baking sheet well, or coat it with nonstick spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add the softened butter and mix with a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingers until the mixture looks like coarse sand or cornmeal. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, and mix until just combined — it's fine if a few small bits of butter are still visible.
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Press the fruit wedges closely together into the batter, leaving a little space around the edges so the cake can rise as it bakes.
Sprinkle the brown sugar over the top. Bake for 45–55 minutes, until the cake is golden and the center feels set.